Military Jets Photography: 2008 06 09 TLP at EBFS

The TLP consists of six courses per year organised by the "Flying Branch", with one out-of-area TLP, not at Florennes to exercise nightflying operations. In 1979 the TLP started at the German airbase of Jever. Followed by a move to Florennes (Belgium) in 1988. In 2009 the TLP will be moved to Los Llanos Airfield, Albacete in Spain.
The third edition of the 2008 TLP is the first TLP with the three new European fighters on one base. The Czech Gripens, the Spanish Eurofighters and the French Rafales flew many missions together. Other participants were Mirage 2000N from France, F-16's from Turkey and Italy, EF-18's from Spain, F-4E's from Turkey and L159 ALCA from the Czech airforce.
The first two weeks of the TLP consist of Flying Days and Academic Days. During these weeks the exercises will become more and more difficult. Air-to-Air Refuelling is added as an extra realistic feature in the exercise during the second week. For each mission there will be simulated ground attack missions with fighter escort. During the third and fourth week additional fighters arrive to play for realistic opposite forces. In these last weeks, some 30 to 40 aircraft take off for a normal TLP mission. In the last week, SAR helicopters will participate to add the CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) element to the TLP.